HOME-OXYGEN-THERAPY IN MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES, 1991 AND 1992

Study objective: Obtain descriptive data on the use of home oxygen by Medicare beneficiaries and study the impact of certain demographic fac tors and diagnoses on oxygen use. Methods: A home oxygen user was defi ned as any Medicare beneficiary with at least one claim for home oxyge n in the Health Care Financing Administration National Claims History 5% Physician Supplier Files for 1991 and 1992. Railroad board benefici aries, health maintenance organization members, and those without cont inuous part B coverage were excluded. Results: In 1991, there were 21, 489 beneficiaries in the sample who received oxygen therapy. In 1992, there were 8,418 new users. Twenty-six percent of new users died in 19 92. Factors significantly associated with death included age 76 years or older (relative risk [RR], 1.3), pneumonia (RR, 1.3), lung cancer ( RR, 3.8), male gender (RR, 1.2), heart failure (RR, 1.3), and diagnose s suggestive of COPD (RR, 0.45). Seven percent of new users discontinu ed therapy within 1 month, 28% within 6 months. Liquid oxygen was used by 19% of current and 14% of new users. Factors significantly associa ted with liquid oxygen use included portable oxygen claims me (odds ra tio [OR], 2.4), nonmetropolitan residence (OR, 0.73), and white race ( OR, 1.2). Conclusions: Descriptive information on patterns of home oxy gen use, including associated; medical conditions, types and duration of therapy, and survival is useful for regulatory purposes. This infor mation supports concerns that current payment policy may discourage su ppliers from providing liquid oxygen in underserved areas.